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Editor's Note
2026年年初，英国首相斯塔默成功访华，两国领导人一致同意中英要发展长期稳定的全面战略伙伴关系，中英关系开启新篇章。在此背景下，中国苏格兰友好交流与务实合作也迎来新机遇。
In early 2026, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer successfully visited China. During the visit, leaders of both countries agreed that China and the U.K. should develop a long-term and consistent comprehensive strategic partnership, opening a new chapter in bilateral relations. Against this backdrop, friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between China and Scotland are also poised for fresh momentum.
展望未来的同时，我们不妨回望中国同苏格兰交往来时路，有一群人跨越山海，或以学术为桥，或以医术济世，或以艺术为媒，或终身在异乡扎根，让友谊穿越时空，让文明在对话中彼此照亮。他们身份各异，却共同见证了中国同苏格兰友好交流的多元维度。追溯和回忆既是对历史的致敬，更是对未来的期许——相互理解、相互尊重与相互成就，从来都始于人与人真实的相遇。
As we look ahead, it is equally meaningful to reflect on the path of exchange between China and Scotland. Across mountains and seas, a remarkable group of individuals have built enduring connections through scholarship, commerce, medicine, the arts, and beyond. Through their efforts, friendship has transcended time and space, and civilizations have illuminated one another. Though diverse in identity, they have collectively witnessed the many dimensions of friendly exchange between China and Scotland. To trace and remember their stories is not only to pay tribute to history, but also to express our hopes for the future: that mutual understanding, mutual respect, and shared success grow from genuine human connection.
即日起，我们推出“中苏交往先行者”系列，讲述那些为两地友谊铺路架桥的先行者的故事。首期带您走近理雅各，一位来自苏格兰阿伯丁郡的翻译家。
Starting today, we present the series“The Forerunners Linking China and Scotland”, sharing the stories of pioneers who have built bridges of friendship between the two. Our first story introduces James Legge, a renowned translator from Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
一、理雅各
James Legge
如果要在中苏友好交流史上寻找一位奠基性的人物，阿伯丁郡走出的詹姆斯·理雅各（James Legge，1815-1897）必定名列前茅。他不仅是传教士、汉学家，更是一位以译笔为媒、让中国经典真正“走进”西方世界的翻译巨匠。
If one were to look for a representative figure in the history of friendly exchanges between China and Scotland, James Legge, a native of Aberdeenshire, would surely rank among the foremost. Missionary, scholar and translator, Legge devoted his life to introducing Chinese classics to English-speaking readers with a depth and care that had rarely been seen before.
从苏格兰小镇到香港街头
From Rural Scotland to the Bustle of Hong Kong
1815年，理雅各出生于苏格兰东北部阿伯丁郡亨利镇。24岁时，他远赴马六甲传教并主持英华书院。1843年，他将书院迁至香港，此后的近三十年里，他一直在华工作，与这片东方土地结下不解之缘。
Born in 1815 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, James Legge was just 24 when he was sent to Malacca to preach and to lead the Anglo-Chinese College. In 1843, he moved the college to Hong Kong, where he would spend nearly thirty years in China that would shape the course of his life.
在香港期间，理雅各并非孤军奋战。他深入研习中文，并与王韬、何进善、黄胜等华人学者广泛合作，共同致力于中国经典的翻译与研究。
James Legge did not work in isolation in Hong Kong. He devoted himself to the study of the Chinese language and its literary traditions, working closely with local scholars such as Wang Tao, He Jinshan, and Huang Sheng. Together they undertook the formidable task of translating the foundational texts of the Chinese tradition.
里程碑式的翻译工程
A Translation Project Like No Other
理雅各最为人称道的成就，是他对中国古代经典的系统翻译。他是英语世界里第一个系统翻译中国古代经典的人。从1861年至1886年的25年间，他将《四书》《五经》《道德经》《易经》等核心典籍逐一译成英文，共计28卷。
The crowning achievement of James Legge was his sustained effort to translate the major works of the Chinese classical tradition—an undertaking unprecedented in scope in the English-speaking world. Over a period of twenty-five years, from 1861 to 1886, he produced twenty-eight volumes covering such foundational texts as the Four Books, the Five Classics, the Tao Te Ching, and the I Ching.
在当时的西方，能读到准确、完整的中国经典译本实属罕见。理雅各的翻译不仅是语言的转换，更是思想的传递。他让孔子、老子等东方先哲的智慧第一次以可读的方式进入英语世界，成为西方了解中国思想文化的重要桥梁。
At the time, reliable English translations of these works were extremely rare. For many English readers, his translations offered their first substantial encounter with figures such as Confucius and Laozi. For decades, they served as one of the principal gateways through which Western audiences approached the Chinese philosophical tradition.
翻译之道：同情但不中立
The Translator’s Art
理雅各的翻译之所以影响深远，与他独特的诠释立场密不可分。他主张“同情但不中立”——既要以同理心理解原文的思想内涵与文化语境，又不能丧失译者应有的客观与严谨。
What accounts for the lasting influence of James Legge’s translations is, in large measure, his approach to the task itself. He described his method as being“sympathetic but not neutral.” In other words, he sought to understand the texts from within their cultural and intellectual context, while still applying the careful standards of scholarship.
他并非逐字硬译，而是注重传达经典的灵魂。这种平衡之道，使中国古典著作在西方的接受更为深入，也避免了因文化差异而产生的误读。
Rather than adhering to rigid, word-for-word translation, he sought to convey the spirit and essence of the Chinese classics. This balanced approach enabled a much deeper reception of Chinese classical works in the West, while also helped prevent misunderstandings arising from cultural differences.
图：理雅各翻译的孔子《论语》中“己所不欲，勿施于人”的译文。
Image: James Legge’s translation of Confucius Silver Rule from
Analects ‘What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.’
遗产：跨越世纪的回响
A Legacy That Endures
理雅各的工作不仅推动了西方汉学的发展，也有助于中英文化交流。他是19世纪中西文化交流史上一位里程碑式的人物，其译本至今仍被广泛引用和研究。
The contribution of James Legge extended far beyond translation itself. Through his dedication, he played a important role in advancing the study of China in the West and fostered subsequent cultural exchange between China and the U.K. More than a century later, scholars around the world still consult his translations.
今天，当我们重读理雅各的译文，依然能感受到跨越时空的诚意与洞见。他用半生时光，在东西方之间架起一座思想的桥梁，让后世得以自由往来。
Reading his work today, one can still sense the care and insight behind every page. Over a lifetime, Legge helped build a bridge between two intellectual traditions—one that readers and scholars continue to cross today.
图：詹姆斯·理雅各在牛津的故居，如今已立碑纪念其卓越贡献。
Image: James Legge’s old home in Oxford is now marked with a tribute to his enduring work.
